


pectore toto uritur

by krystian



Category: Levius (Anime)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, Maybe - Freeform, Post-Canon, Sickfic, how did i end up here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:42:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23298757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krystian/pseuds/krystian
Summary: Levius Cromwell isn't one to give up easily, even in the face of sickness.It could be his biggest advantage, but it could also mean his downfall.
Relationships: Levius Cromwell & AJ Langdon
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	pectore toto uritur

**Author's Note:**

> I dont know why i keep picking fandoms that are obviously, well... almost dead. and this one surely is, like, mine's only the 4th work, really? how is that possible? 
> 
> it's a shame - i actually did like the anime, especially the opening, and it was a fun watch with only, what, 12 episodes? 
> 
> the title is taken from ovid's apollo and daphne, "[...] in his whole heart he is burned [...]"

His past was something he thought about very often.

People tended to tell him that was unhealthy, that he should learn to move on and live his life, to leave his heavy burden behind, but that was easier said than done.

Of course it wasn’t as if Levius chose to be stuck in the past, reliving the same scene over and over again. Of course he didn’t want to wake up, drenched in sweat, his heartbeat as erratic as on that day, burned forever into his memory. 

Tonight wasn’t any different – the same old dream, the same old story. Heat and fire gnawing at his skin, his flesh, and the unmistakeable stench of burning corpses and grime and smoke, in his lungs and respiratory system, even his head, filling it with grey mist.

Somehow, it was even worse today. The heat settled in his body, making his limbs _(not the artificial one)_ sluggish and hard to move. The blanket on his body felt heavy, constricting, just another layer keeping him down, as if a wall had crumbled and was now slowly suffocating him.

Levius groaned into his pillow and willed his eyes to open. It was already bright outside, way past the time for his usual morning run, and the light was hurting his eyes, creating throbbing pain behind his forehead. It was unpleasant, to say the least. Pushing himself up with the use of his arms, he coughed feebly, body writhing and squirming.

Sitting on his bed, the heels of his feet pressed against the white mattress, he watched the world outside for a moment, the clear sky that wasn’t red, wasn’t filled with fire and smoke and greyness.

He sighed, swinging his legs over the bed and resting them on the cool wooden floor. It was a miracle that no one had woken him yet, truly. Furrowing his brows, Levius stemmed his arms against the bed and heaved himself upwards, grimacing at the spikes of pain it sent through his body. He stumbled a little as he made his way to the door, catching himself on the wall with his mechanical arm.

Shaking his head to get rid of any lingering doubts and thoughts, he pushed the door open, his nose screwing up when he smelled someone cooking on the floor below, the unmistakeable scent of fried egg, sausages and toasted bread wafting up to him. On any other day, he’d have been glad about it, but today it just felt… excessive. Too much.

Following the hallway and descending the stairs, Levius stopped on the last step, peering into the kitchen, one arm still braced against the wall to support his weight. 

It was… a lot livelier now that AJ was here as well. AJ, who seemed to have qualms about joining their gym at first, who’d seemed reluctant, almost as if she felt she was imposing or something. Thankfully, Natalia and Zack had made her feel right at home, each in their own way. And even though Bill hadn’t said anything, Levius knew that the other didn’t harbour any bad feelings towards the young girl.

AJ and Natalia were currently in the kitchen, accompanying his grandmother and, in case of AJ, actually helping her. It was probably better that Natalia didn’t offer her help – nothing against her cooking, but…

That thought was better left unfinished. Levius stepped down, the last floorboard creaking beneath his feet and announcing his appearance. Almost immediately, three heads turned into his direction. “Good morning,” he greeted, scratching the back of his neck.

Unsurprisingly enough, Natalia was the first one to answer. “Good morning? It’s almost noon!” A quick glance to the clock told him that that wasn’t the case. “We decided to make some delicious breakfast, and that’s the one day you decide to sleep in? Really? Ugh, that’s so you! Also, I already went running without you. How does that feel, huh?”

AJ interrupted her by clearing her throat, a polite smile on her face. “Will you sit down with us to have some breakfast? Natalia and I already had some earlier, but it’s your first meal of the day.” She underlined her statement by placing a plate, filled with freshly cooked food, on the table and gesturing for him to sit.

He felt bad about it, but nevertheless, Levius shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I’m just not very hungry at the moment. Sorry for all the trouble you had to go through.”

His grandmother laughed quietly. “Oh Levius, that’s nothing you have to apologize for. Although, it would certainly ease my nerves if you ate something. You do need the energy, after all you’re still a growing boy.”

Levius tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it was nothing more than the twitching of the corners of his mouth. “Of course,” he replied, eyeing the food. It did look good, however… AJ and Natalia were staring at him with expectant eyes, awaiting an answer. “Can I just take some food with me and eat at the gym? Maybe I’ll get hungry later on.” He probably wouldn’t.

The pressure behind his eyes was building up gradually, a thick fog encompassing his brain and slowing it down. His entire body felt hot, way too hot, and his muscles ached. But he couldn’t take a break now, not now. It was too important to keep on training, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

His grandmother sighed. “Of course, my boy. Take as much as you want.” Turning to AJ and Natalia, she told them, “and you two, make sure that he eats well, alright? Don’t let him get away with any puny excuses.” She smiled that same kind smile as always when both girls nodded.

“Of course, grandma!” Natalia proclaimed, grinning widely, with that self-assured look on her face. “He’s a boy, of course he needs to be looked after! They really can’t do anything on their own, jeez.”

AJ chuckled, already starting to pack food into a small bag near one leg of the table. “Anything you want to eat in particular, Levius?” She turned to him, warmth in her eyes.

He shook his head. “No, anything’s fine. I’ll go change now, if that’s alright?” He waited for permission until she had nodded and Natalia had thrown in a careless ‘But hurry up, don’t always take so long! You’re slowing us down!’ until he ventured upwards again, each step more exhausting than the last. The blood was pounding in his ears, rushing through his veins like poison. His hands were shaking. 

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

If he thought that climbing stairs was bad, it was nothing compared to the walk to the gym.

Levius was drenched in sweat when he finally arrived, panting heavily, arms propped up on his thighs. Natalia snickered next to him. “What, already tired? Are you getting old? Pf, be careful that I don’t surpass you!” He just nodded, paying her no more attention than what was strictly necessary.

AJ, on his other side, the small bag slung over her shoulders, frowned. “Are you alright, Levius? This wouldn’t normally exhaust you.” Her face was contracted into one of slight worry, blue eyes laden with something he couldn’t name.

Instead, he nodded again, willing his body to stand up straight. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s fine.” A cough racked his boy, making him crumble ever so slightly. Natalia patted him on the back with a little less force than usual. “Let’s just get inside.”

Both girls seemed conflicted, but didn’t pressure him to talk any further, ushering him inside instead. “Mornin’, hairy pig!” Natalia called out into the vast, open space, dropping her belongings on the floor.

A groan was audible from somewhere in the back, and almost immediately Zack’s head appeared from behind some machinery. “I told you not to call me that!” Despite the seemingly harsh words, both of them smiled.

Natalia grinned at him. “Yeah, whatever. As if I’m gonna listen to what a hairy pig like you has got to say.” She crouched to pull out her boxing gloves, slipping her hands inside the worn material. “You up for a spar, Levius?” She asked, eyes glinting dangerously.

All eyes were on him, burning almost as bright as the fire gnawing at his body. “S-sure,” he croaked out, voice almost failing. Now Zack frowned too; was really everyone going to be suspicious of him?

“Really? How about you warm up first, Levius? You skipped your morning run today, so I’d feel better if you didn’t just start sparring immediately. AJ can train with her for the time being.” With questioning eyes, he turned to the black-haired girl, who only smiled in return. “C’mon so Bill can do some check-ups on you.” He softly grabbed Levius’ arm, leading him to the table their engineer was sitting at, a newspaper in his hands.

The man looked up as they approached, scrutinizing them with a frown on his face. He motioned for Levius to take a seat across him, getting the tools ready and adjusting his glasses again. “You don’t look very good,” he commented, leaning over the blonde’s arm, focused on the machinery of it.

Levius shrugged, trying not to move the arm Bill was working on too much. “Didn’t get enough sleep,” he lied easily, averting his eyes only slightly.

Bill hummed in response, turning his arm over. His uncle behind him snorted. “Yeah, right. Went to bed early yesterday, didn’t ya?” Bill’s hand left his mechanical arm, checking his shoulder instead. The tips of his fingers were cold on Levius’ skin, still burning with the fire within.

“It looks good for now,” he finally stated, drawing back a little, taking his glasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose. He looked tired; he probably was. “The pressure is as it should be and the joints work as well. You’re good to go, in my eyes.” Levius was about to stand up and thank him, but Bill raised an arm. “However, your core temperature seems slightly elevated. Maybe you should sit this one out.”

Furrowing his brows, Levius softly shook his head. “I’m fine, really.” To prove that he was fine he got up, trying his hardest not to stumble on the floor that suddenly felt uneven. It didn’t feel convincing, and by the looks of it, it didn’t convince Bill either, but Zack seemed okay enough.

He slapped Levius’ shoulder, almost sending him into another coughing fit, but under Bill’s watchful eyes, he supressed it, swallowing it back down. “Then get warmed up, kid! We haven’t got all day, after all!”

Nodding to his uncle and thanking Bill, who only waved him off, he made his way over to the ring, watching as Natalia and AJ moved inside of it. When the two of them fought, it looked like a dance, elegant and fast-paced and graceful, but also deadly. Really, neither of them were to be underestimated.

He rested the weight of his body against the ropes. His feet hurt, his muscles screamed in pain and he felt way, way too hot. Slumping against it like that, he didn’t notice when the two girls stopped sparring and Natalia left the ring, jumping over the ropes as if it was nothing.

She strode over to him, patting him on the back. “I’m taking a break, cuz’ I’m, like, super tired.” Yawning, she grabbed a towel. “But we’ll definitely fight later, yeah? So don’t lose now.”

Levius felt too tired to answer, so he nodded, making attempts to climb into the ring, when suddenly a small, mechanical hand appeared in front of him. Looking up, it proved to be AJ, extending her arm to help him. 

Gratefully, he accepted it, letting her pull him up into the ring. Her face was slightly flushed and her breathing heavier than usual, but her eyes seemed alive and full of fire. Not the type of fire that burned inside him, but rather a kinder fire.

AJ shot him a quick smile, checking if her gloves were still in place as he pulled on his own. Assuming their stances a few feet from one another, they waited for the signal which promptly came,

Unsurprisingly, AJ was the first one to move, way faster than he could react. Her dark hair billowed out around her head as she took a swing at him, aiming somewhere at his chin. He dodged at the last second, moving out of her reach, but his movement was more sluggish than usual, slow and laggy.

She was there in an instant, closing in way too fast. He saw the fist coming, saw it appear in his peripheral vision and nearing his face, but when he moved his head to lessen the blow, it landed directly on his cheekbone with such force that it made his head spin.

Looking at him with worry in her blue eyes, AJ cocked her head to the side, immediately backing off and getting some distance between them. “Did I hurt you?” She asked, at the same time as Zack yelled ‘Get your head in the game, kid!’.

Levius shook his head, which only made it spin more. “It’s fine,” he said, pressing a hand to his right temple and rubbing the tender skin there. “It’s fine,” he repeated, more for himself than anyone else.

AJ didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press on. Instead, she took a few more steps back, assuming her usual slightly crouched stance. “Are you ready, then?”

Despite his body and mind protesting, he nodded. He willed his eyes to stay AJ’s form, but they were unfocused, darting from one place to the other. Zack, at the side of the ring, scratching his beard. Natalia, sitting on a bench and eating an apple, looking like she might fall asleep at any given moment. Bill, still at the desk and working on something, but nevertheless looking up now and then to shoot dark scowls his way.

The signal resonated, he could feel it in his body, his toes and teeth and whatnot, and like a flash AJ moved forwards, too fast, _always too fast_. She stepped on his foot, making him stumble backwards, and before he could raise his arm to block the blow he was sure she would deliver, it was already there.

Her fist connected with his jaw, throwing him backwards and off his feet. He landed on the padded floor, panting heavily. The soles of his feet burned, his lungs burned, _everything_ did. The world spun around him, colours blending into one another and becoming a muddy brown in the end, yelling around him.

Suddenly, a face appeared in front of his, blue eyes and furrowed brows. His ears strained to pick up any sound at all, but her voice was clear. “Are you alright? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit so hard.”

Levius meant to shake his head, but no part of his body moved. He grumbled quietly, eyes still unfocused. The ground near his head shook a little; someone else had entered the ring. That was bad. No one was to enter the ring during a match. Had he lost the match? No… Levius didn’t lose matches.

Something cold was placed on his forehead, and he sighed contentedly. It just felt too good on his burning skin. Small, nimble fingers brushed his sweaty bangs away. “It feels like he’s got a fever. He’s burning up,” AJ said to someone else, someone he couldn’t see from where he was right now. Why was he on the ground in the first place?

The person behind him heaved a sigh, and strong arms lifted him up. He could hardly move his head at all, so it fell against the chest of the person holding him up. “You’re getting really heavy, boy,” Zack joked, but the worried undertone was impossible to overhear. 

Levius grunted in response, his eyelids drooping. The cold hand wasn’t on his forehead anymore. He was being carried out of the ring, that much he could tell, but everything else – the voices of the people around him, their faces – was blending together, becoming one.

And then, everything went dark.

* * *

When he came to, he was lying in a white bed, propped up against some pillows.

He pried his eyes open, squinting at the dim light. At least it wasn’t too bright. Levius groaned, trying to sit up, but a cold hand pressed against his chest prevented him from doing so.

AJ was looking at him with concern in her eyes. “You should rest; please.” Her tone wasn’t pleading per se, but still… he heeded her advice. Laying back down, he kept his eyes fixated on her.

Opening his mouth to speak, nothing came out. He cleared his throat _(it hurt a little)_ and tried anew. “What happened?” He finally croaked out.

The girl shook her head. “You apparently thought that boxing while obviously being sick was a good idea. You’re lucky that it didn’t end worse.” She was trying to be stern, lecturing maybe, but all that shone through was worry.

He didn’t want to see her worry.

Levius swallowed heavily, coughing a little. “’m fine. It’s fine.”

Her eyes were brimming with tears. “It isn’t fine.” She never raised her voice, but it sounded like she really wanted to. “You could have seriously gotten hurt, you know? Please… don’t ever fight when you’re not feeling well. Please.”

He looked to the side, averting his eyes.

“Can you promise me that, Levius?” She grabbed his hand, the one of flesh and bones and skin, and squeezed. Not enough to hurt, but enough to remind him that she still was there. “Please, Levius.”

Looking up at her, her eyes, laden with guilt and worry and everything he didn’t want to see there, hurt him. He didn’t know if he could keep that promise. But… if it eased her worries, made her a little happier, then… “Alright,” he agreed, “I won’t do it again.”

AJ smiled at him, tears still in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, enclosing his hand in hers. “Thank you.”

Levius Cromwell was, in fact, a liar.

**Author's Note:**

> It feels so weird to write them when it really shouldnt be. Levius is my age, give or take a few years, but i've got no idea how that boy ticks. Maybe its the steampunk, maybe its the horrors of war and violence, maybe its just me
> 
> nevertheless, i hope you liked it. and if no one reads it, then so shall it be; let it rest for eternity


End file.
